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Sun Herald

Sunday April 20, 2008

Ella Mudie, Kirsty Munro

Eco-friendly taxis, special deliveries, posh flights and virtual help.

Eskimo zone

Hotel rooms can be boring but igloos are so hot right now.

If you've always fancied a stay in an igloo but couldn't handle the subzero temperatures, a glass igloo could be the solution. The Hotel Kakslauttanen in Saariselka, Finland, has 20 igloos built from a special thermo glass that allows the structures to be heated to a comfy room temperature - even when it drops to below zero outside. The glass remains frost-free and you can catch spectacular views of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, between August and April. At

250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, the sun shines 24 hours a day in June and July. The hotel also offers snow igloos in winter. Rates for glass igloos start from $270 per person per night. Take a virtual tour at www.kakslauttanen.fi. Ella Mudie

Flying high

Luxury air travel is no longer the sole domain of rock stars, with Captain's Choice tours recreating the feel of a private jet. Sip French champagne with fewer than 100 passengers aboard an all-business-class Boeing 757 as you fly over some of the world's most remarkable destinations. Run by Australian luxury travel specialist The Captain's Choice Tour, four private jet tours are on offer in 2008 and 2009; choose from Africa, South America and Easter Island, Asia and an Equatorial Explorer trip. Prices start at $29,880. Go to www.captainschoice.com.au. Ella Mudie

Baggage check

Finally, door-to-door luggage delivery - already popular in the US and UK - is available here. Companies such as WorldBaggage.com.au and PersonalPorter.com.au guarantee no lost luggage and no heavy lifting. The cost is about half what the airlines would charge for excess kilos and you can arrange to have your bags arrive at the hotel before you do. As well as suitcases, they will also shift sporting equipment, wheelchairs and baby carriers. Personal Porter even sends SMS updates to your phone so you can track your bags in real time every step of the way. Kirsty Munro

Web agents

Alaska Airlines has uploaded a virtual travel assistant to its website at www.alaskaair.com. There, a friendly brunette named Jenn responds to typed queries with spoken answers and her own follow-up questions. Meanwhile, InsideTrip.com is a new American flight search tool that can tailor bookings to more personal needs - it ranks flights according to factors such as legroom, number of stops and aircraft age. And earlier this year, Australian web-savvy travel company

STA launched Map My Adventure UK at www.statravel.com.au. Forget the cumbersome guidebooks, this interactive trip planner, which uses Google Earth maps, offers insider tips on entertainment, accommodation and lifestyle options at your destinations. Ella Mudie

Hail a green cab

Next time you land in New York, make the eco-conscious choice and opt for Ozocar over an ordinary cab. Ozocar offers only hybrid cars (which use 70 per cent less fuel), from the popular Toyota Prius to the larger Lexus hybrid SUV for those with a lot of luggage. A trip from JFK airport to Manhattan costs $US65 ($70). All cars are equipped with WiFi for checking email and multiple rechargers for phones and shavers. Drivers all carry GPS-enabled BlackBerry devices to find addresses. For details, go to www.ozocar.com. Kirsty Munro

© 2008 Sun Herald

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